The Blaine PTA and the Blaine Project Facilities Committee, chaired by Nancy Gilbert, held the final of three public meetings on Wednesday, March 28, in the Catharine Blaine School library to review the progress of the plans for the beautification and repairs to the grounds and the buildings of the facility.
Designed by Seattle architect J. Lister Holmes-who also designed the Ida Culver House, the Seattle Goodwill Industries and the Seattle Public Schools administrative and service center-Blaine is considered a strong example of early to mid-20th century International Style Modernism, with its distinctive butterfly shape and its use of glass, steel and concrete, as well as with the structure's focus on form, fit and function.
After 55 years, many deemd\ the school in need of a face-lift, and the Facilities Committee-incorporating input from Magnolia residents through the meeting process-has produced a plan that includes the following: new landscaping around the school; improvements to the pedestrian walkways and resting areas; review of safety issues; repairs to playground surfaces; and the addition of benches, tables and bicycle racks to improve the usability for students and their families during school, as well as for residents when the facility functions as a community center and the Farmers Market.
Local landscape architect and former Blaine parent John Barker has led the design workshops, taking input from the meetings and producing a series of computer models showing the proposals and changes over time. He presented the latest renderings of the grounds and the proposed improvements, along with options for benches, tables and bollards that will enhance the pedestrian pathways.
Barker indicated that he is sharing the plans with Miller-Hull, the firm that designed the pool, and who will provide color-scheme proposals for the school.
About 30 people attended the meeting, and after Barker's presentation, interested parties discussed options and clarified some of the remaining issues.
The project committee has received a grant from the city for the ongoing planning effort. Barker gave a rough-order-of-magnitude estimate for completion of all the items in the plan, pegged at around $250,000. When the last of the outstanding issues are resolved, the committee will apply for an implementation grant from the city-likely in the neighborhood of $100,000-with a plan to match that grant through volunteer participation and business contributions.
The date for applying for the grant is April 9, and the committee should know by July how much they will receive. It will then determine how much of the plan can be executed this year.[[In-content Ad]]
